Exhibitor



June 14, 1932- H. c. GRIMSLEY 1,363,047

EXHIBITQR Filed Feb. 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 14, 1932. c GRlMsLEY lfi gfl i EXHIBITOR Filed Feb. 5, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheen 5 Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED: srA'n-zs PATENT OFFICE f HARRY C. GRIMSLEY, OF VIN CENNES, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR 'ro INDIAN REFINING COM.-

IPANY, OF LAWRENGEVILLE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01'? MAINE opened;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the exhibitorin EXHIBITOR Application filed February 5, 1930. Serial No. 426,132.

This invention relates to improvements in exhibitors of the type adapted for use by moved into advantageous display position when the device is set up as an easel;

In the accompanyin drawings illustrating the invention in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the exhib-Q itor in closed condition;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of same with certain of the flaps unfastened' and partially full display position; i

Fig. 4: is a perspective view of the device in partially opened position, looking at the back of same; 7 V

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the exhibitor closed, as inFig. 1,but looking at the opposite end; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail of one of W the sample-holding racks.

Referring particularly to'Figs. 1, 2, i and 5, it will be seen that the exhibitor comprises a back member 1, inner flaps 2 and ,3 and.

outer flaps 4 and 5,. 'All of these flaps are W secured to the back member 1 and are hinged or jointed relatively to it; the inner "flaps 2 and 3 at'the sides, as indicated at 6., 6, and the outer'fiaps 4 and 5 at the lower and upper ends, as indicated at 7 and 8, respectively.

Furthermore, the inner flaps 2 and 3 are'articulated and adapted to told at 9 and-10' to form the side portions 11 and 12, respectively, and the outer flaps l and 5 are hinged or otherwise articulated to fold at 13 and 14 to form the end portions 15 andl16. In addition the outer flap 4 is arranged for pivotal action at 17 to provide a tab 18 for a purpose hereinafter explained.

The inner flaps 2 and 3' are provided with the complemental members 19 and 20, respectively, of fastening devices, preferably of the snap-fastener type, whereby these flaps may be held in closed position and the outer flaps 4 and 5 carry the complemental members 21 and 22 of similar, but preferably heavier fasteners of the snap-fastener type, the socket members 22 thereof, in the embodiment shown, being mounted upon the flap 5 and engageable with the stud members 21 on flap 4 to hold the flap members closed, and with stud members 23 on the tab 18 to hold the exhibitor in easel-like, or display po sition. In addition, the flap 5vis provided with socket members 24 for engagement with stud members 25 on its end portion "16' to make the exhibitor more rigid and secure when in-the display position.

On the end portion 16 I provide means, such as the clamping strips 26 and 27, between which are held a plurality of flexible stubs 28, made preferably of cloth, to which are suitably attached leaves or pages 29 vof some relatively stiff material, such as heavy paper or card board, upon which may be printed or otherwise applied advertising and descriptive matter of the merchandise .displayed. As will be apparent, the leaves or pages 29 may be turned in order or otherwise, as desired, over the member 26 to a. position against the flap 5 when the device is in displayposition. Thus the salesman may enlarge upon or illustrate his sales talk by exhibiting the advertising anddescriptive matter borne by the leaves orpages 29.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 3, 4 and 6, it will be seen that I providebracket members for holding samples of'the' men, chandise to be displayed. These bracket members, in the embodiment, illustrated, are of such type asto hold bottles or vials of the merchandise, Thoseillustrated comprise a lower member 30 provided with a plurality of openings 30, (Figs. 3 and4) through. which the bottoms of the bottles or vials31 may project and a top member 32 carrying a plurality ofspring clips 83 arranged in bers 30 and 32 are held in fixed alinement rel- V atively to each other and when swung upon the members 35 will cause the bar to rotate with them. By thus pivotally arranging the brackets, it will be obvious that they, and the bottles or vials carried by them, may be folded flat against the back member 1, when the device is closed, or swung outwardly, as illustrated in Figs, 3 and 6, when the device is set up in display position. In order that the brackets and the bottles or vials carried by them may assume a desired position when swung outwardly, as shown particularly in Fig. 3, I provide the bar 34 with an offset 36 which, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, will bear against the back member 1 when the brackets are swung outwardly, to stop them always in the sameposition.

When it is desired to set up the exhibitor in easel-like or display position, the flap 5 is opened by disengagement of the socket members 22 from the stud members 21, and the flap 4 is then lifted, as shown in Fig. 2. The inner flaps 2 and 3 are then unfastened and swung on the hinges 6, 6 to a position against the reverse side of back member 1, as shown in Fig. 3. Next the flap 5 is folded back against its end portion 16 and the socket members 24 engaged with the stud members 25, thus holding these two parts in fixed relation to each other. Then the flap 4 is swung upon its hinge 7 and its tab 18 is turned up against the end of the fiap 5, and the stud members 23 carried by the tab are engaged with the socket members 22 of the flap, thus arranging the back member 1 and flaps 4 and 5 in fixed triangular relationship to provide a relatively rigid easel-like support, as shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4. Now, by lifting the whole packet of leaves or pages 29 the brackets carrying the bottles or vials 31 may be swung upon their pivots into display position and the leaves or pages 29 then returned to normal position against the back member 1, all as clearlyv illustrated in Fig. 3. Obviously, with the exhibitor thus disposed, the salesman may, during his sales talk, readily refer both to the samples of merchandise contained in the bottles or vials 31 and to the descriptive and advertising matter appearing upon the leaves or pages 29.

When it is desired to restore the exhibitor to closed position for transportation, the above operations are reversed. The packet of leaves or pages 29 is raised, the brackets with the bottles or vials 31 are swung inwardly so that they rest against the back member 1, the leaves or pages 29 are arranged so as to rest against the brackets, the tab 18 is released from the flap 5, the fasteners 24 and 25 are released, the flaps 2 and 3 are closed and secured by their snap fasteners 19-20, and then the flaps 4 and 5 are folded down upon the flaps 2 and 3, and .the socket members 22 engaged with the stud members 21 to close the exhibitor, as shown in Fig. 1.

It will thus be seen that I provide an exhibitor which may be and preferably isof a sizeto be easily carried in the hand, so that it may be readily transported from place to place. The exhibitor provides space for the arrangement of samples of merchandise to be displayed and for pages bearing advertising and descriptive matter useful in making a sales talk, these samples and pages being so associated with the exhibitor that they may be displayed without any extended preliminary arrangement of them.

Moreover, it will be seenthat the exhibitor embodies structural characteristics whereby it may be easily and quickly set up in relatively permanent display position.

Although I have described the exhibitor of my invention as being portable and adapted primarily for the use ofsalesmen, it will be obvious that, due to its novel characteristics, it may be set up in display position and placed upon, a table, counter, or other support and in such a location that it may be accessible to any one who may be attracted by it. In this aspect, the exhibitor becomes a silent salesman, for the reason that any person so attracted may, by turning over the leaves or pages'29 bearing the advertising and descriptive matter, be apprized of the characteristics ofthe merchandise displayed.

Various changes in the structure, arrangement, and association of the various parts comprising the exhibitor are deemed to be within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In an exhibitor, a back member, closure flaps hinged to. the sides and ends of said back member and articulated to provide side and end members, frames adapted to support samples of merchandise hinged to the opposite sides of said back member and adapted to fold against said back member and to swing outwardly, and means for limiting the outward movement of said frames at a position not beyond the plane of said back member.

2. In an exhibitor, a back member and closure flaps hinged and articulated to provide sides, ends and a cover therefor, means carried by said back member for supporting samples of merchandise, certain of said closure flaps being capable of arrangement when opened to support said back in display position, said sample carrying means being so associated with said back member as to be foldable thereagainstwhe n said exhibitor is closed and to be extended therefrom when said exhibitor is in display position.

3. In an exhibitor, a back member and closure flaps, means carried by said back member and movable relatively thereto for carrying samples of merchandise to be displayed, a packet of leaves or pages adapted to contain advertising and descriptive matter carried by one of said flaps, said closure flaps being adapted to enclose and conceal said samples and pages when said exhibitor is in closed condition, and certain of said closure flaps being adapted for such arrangement and interengagement as to support said back member, sample carrying means and v 7 pages, in display position.

4. In an exhibitor, a back member, closure flaps hinged to said back member and articulated to form sides and ends therefor, one of said closure flaps and its end-forming portion being provided with fastening means whereby said flap and its end-forming portion may be engaged in fixed relation, another of said closure flaps being adapted for cooperation with said first-mentioned flap to provide an easel-like support for said back member, means for securing said flaps in fixed relation when so arranged, means carried by said back member for supportin samples of merchandise, and means carried by said fixedly arranged end portion and comprising a plurality of leaves or pages for displaying matter in advertisement or description of said merchandise.

5. In'an exhibitor, a back member, inner and outer closure flaps hinged at the sides and ends, respectively, of said back member, said closure flaps being articulated to provide side and end members which may be arranged at right angles to said back member, means for holding said closure flaps in closed position, one of said outer closure flaps being articulated near its free end to provide a tab, fastening means for securing the other of said outer flaps to the adjoining end member when said flap is folded back in contact with said end member, and fastening means for securing the free end of said last named flap to said tab to provide an easel-like arrangement of said back member and the two outer closure flaps, a plurality of sheets adapted to display printed matter secured to one of said end members spaced from said back member, and supports for merchandise hinged to the side edges of said back member and adapted to swing from a position against the inner face of said back member to a position laterally of said back member.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

HARRY C. GRIMSLEY. 

